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Clinton returns after injury; questions about her role remain

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: July 16, 2009

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bounded back into the public arena in a choreographed appearance yesterday aimed at reasserting her position as the Obama administration's top diplomat.

A month's recovery from a broken elbow had limited her exposure and contributed to the impression that she had been eclipsed by other heavyweights.

Appearing before a crowd of hundreds to outline U.S. foreign-policy goals, Clinton defended President Obama's desire to reach out to adversaries -- an approach that Clinton had disparaged as a White House candidate.

"We cannot be afraid or unwilling to engage," she said in her speech to the Council on Foreign Relations. Clinton took sharp aim at Iran, saying that it must act soon to accept U.S. overtures or face new penalties and greater isolation.

Despite offering no new specific proposals, the speech marked Clinton's re-emergence after an injury that forced her to cancel two overseas trips and numerous meetings.

After the speech, Clinton went to the White House for private talks in the Oval Office with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden."

Set to depart today on an around-the-world trip, Clinton no longer wore the black sling on her arm. She did not appear to show any signs of discomfort as she gesticulated with her hands during the speech.

But her limited presence recently, followed by her startling public criticism of the White House this week for delaying a key appointment, has led to much speculation about whether her influence is waning.

Some foreign-policy observers say that Clinton has been long overdue in carving out her own diplomatic persona.

"Her role so far has been more in the field of public relations than in policy formation," said Reginald Dale, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "She is seen as glamorous and in many countries as a valuable symbol of the United States, but it is not at all clear that she has an in-depth influence on foreign policy."

"She needs to decide if she wants to be the administration's mascot or have an impact on actual policy," he said. "If she wants to have an impact, the speech may be a way of claiming her stake."

Clinton's frustration appeared evident Monday. In a rare fit of pique, she lashed out at the White House for failing to quickly nominate someone to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development. The White House declined to comment on the remarks.

Michael Mandelbaum, a professor of American foreign policy at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said that it is still too early, six months into the administration, to assess Clinton's influence.

"Every president always overshadows every secretary of state, that's just the nature of the beast," he said. "But a secretary of state carves out a niche by picking out an issue, or two or three, and taking it as his or her own. She hasn't yet done that, at least not yet."